Dr. Yunus urges Pakistan to resolve 1971 issue to advance Dhaka-Islamabad relations
Collected
Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the chief advisor to the interim government, has called on Pakistan to resolve the 1971 issue to advance Dhaka-Islamabad relations.
He made the call during a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the D-8 Summit in Egypt on Thursday.
During the meeting, Dr. Yunus and Shehbaz Sharif agreed to strengthen ties between the two countries by increasing trade and commerce, sports and cultural exchanges.
They also expressed interest in expanding cooperation between the two countries in new areas such as the sugar industry and dengue management. They also discussed mutual interests and the revitalization of SAARC.
Dr. Yunus said the interim government is planning to implement necessary reforms and hold general elections before mid-2026. He is leading the Consensus Commission for dialogue on reforms.
Requesting Shehbaz Sharif to resolve the 1971 issue, he said, “The problems should be resolved so that Dhaka-Islamabad relations can move forward. The problems are coming up again and again. Let us resolve them to move forward.”
Shehbaz Sharif said, “The issues have been resolved through the 1974 tripartite agreement between Bangladesh, Pakistan and India. But if there are other unresolved issues, I will be happy to work on them.”
Professor Yunus said, “It would be better to resolve the issues permanently for the future generations.”
The Pakistani prime minister called for establishing strategic ties between Dhaka and Islamabad, saying, “We are really looking forward to strengthening relations with our brotherly country Bangladesh.”
He praised Professor Yunus for working on the possibility of organizing a summit of the regional organization SAARC.
In response, Professor Yunus said, “This is a top priority. I am a big fan of the SAARC idea. I have been talking about this issue repeatedly. I want a summit of SAARC leaders. It may be just for a photo, but it will carry a strong message.”
The Pakistani prime minister offered technical assistance to better manage the state-owned sugar mills in Bangladesh. At the same time, he called for learning from Pakistan’s experience in fighting dengue.
Shehbaz Sharif said, “Our fight against dengue in Punjab was appreciated worldwide almost a decade ago. We can send a representative to Bangladesh to share our experience with Bangladeshi officials.”
Professor Dr. Yunus thanked the Prime Minister of Pakistan and hoped that Pakistan and Bangladesh would continue this effort.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif invited Professor Yunus to visit Pakistan at his convenience.
News source: The Daily Star Bangla, Thursday December 19, 2024 06:28 PM
